For Husky
by LovingNinja
Summary: On an ordinary day during their travels, Husky and the group meet up with a strange fox. Is she really just a cunning little trickster or does she harbor something dark? Getting close to a fish boy and trying to grow up. HuskyXOC
1. For Husky

**Hello and welcome to **_**For Husky**_**. Husky is my favorite character and I want him to get with a girl! Ok, I actually really don't care if he gets with anyone from the series, except for Nana, I hate her and she doesn't seem good with anyone. But, for the hell of it, I'm giving him a character, a girl, to love! So meh!**

**This is another story by LovingNinja! Hell yeah! I'm back for another round baby!**

**I do not own +Anima or the characters except for mine, Ai.**

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"Damn it, Cooro! Watch where you're dropping the wood!" Husky shouted, rubbing his head and glaring at the tiny logs and sticks that Cooro had found in the forest they were now camping near.

"Sorry, Husky, they slipped," the bird-boy smiled sheepishly as he landed before the other, wings disappearing as he did so.

"Hmph, just get the fire ready and I'll get the fish," he muttered his reply, removing his cape as he did and dropping it carelessly. "Where's Senri and Nana?"

"Nana is helping Senri find some berries and herbs."

"All right, then," Husky sighed, taking up a pointed stick and striding over to the lake a yard away. He stared down at the shimmering liquid, the light bouncing off of it and up into his eyes. He sighed once more and dove in, a short moment passing by before his legs became no more, becoming one large tail, gills decorating his neck. His eyes searched about, counting the fish closest to him, so many groups in this tiny body of water, he was surprised, though very pleased for this would make things go faster.

It wasn't long before he had four fish on his home-made spear, all being roughly about the same size, and he didn't hesitate to resurface. A loud splash resounded the area as he broke through, panting slightly from the energy he used up, closing his eyes momentarily in a short attempt to relax, until he heard a peculiar sound.

"Kyun?"

"What the-?" he muttered once again, eyes snapping open and raising to meet with golden honey colored orbs.

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"Did Husky go to get the fish?" Nana questioned, setting down some fruit, oranges and apples, next to the fire that Cooro got together.

The crow child nodded, "Yeah, about fifteen minutes ago."

"Well, I hope he gets back soon, don't you Senri?" she turned to the older +Anima child to see him staring off towards the lake. Both younger ones looked over as well to see nothing wrong.

"Senri?" Cooro called out, "Senri what's wrong?"

"Fox," he answered.

"Fox?"

"Cooro, look!" Nana pointed towards the lake, forcing the boy to look back at it and to see that in fact a young child sat on hands and knees on one of the boulders by the lake, looking down, a large red tail swaying back and forth, along with pointed ears that matched with white tips.

"F-Fox…"

Suddenly, Husky popped out of the water, right before the kit*. It wasn't long before the silver-haired boy screamed, backing away frantically before being tackled by the child in the water, both going below the surface. The group quickly dropped whatever they had in their grasp and rushed to the lake, staring down into it worriedly as minutes passed, anxiety building up until Husky jumped up, arms clasping onto the earth, tears in his eyes.

"She's eating me! Get her off!"Stunned, the three looked closely to see that the fox child was indeed trying to devour Husky at the shoulder.

"Don't just sit there, GET HER OFF!"

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"So, what's your name?" Nana asked, handing the smaller girl, dressed in only an oversized dingy shirt, hair just as red as her fur, a cooked fish.

The kit flushed slightly before taking it and sinking her sharp teeth into it, a small "kyun" escaping her mouth as she did, making Nana and Cooro giggle. Taking a moment to chew her mouthful before swallowing, her eyes went up to the three in front of her, the fourth still far off in the lake.

"My name," she paused, "is Ai."

"What a cute name!" Nana squealed embracing the girl.

"How old are you?" Cooro questioned.

"Eight."

"So, young," Nana stated. "What are you doing all the way out here?"

Ai looked over at Husky, "Food."

"Husky is Husky," Senri replied.

"Right!" Nana nodded. "Husky is a +Anima, too! He's just like you! He's not food!"

The fox stared up at Senri, as if dazed, "Senri? Husky?"

"Yeah!" Cooro confirmed. "This is Senri, and that's Husky! And, she is Nana and I'm Cooro!"

"Nana. Cooro."

"Do you live around here?" Nana questioned.

Ai shook her head, "I live with Mama."

"Where is your mama?" Cooro queried.

"I…don't know…"

"Were you separated?"

Ai nodded before looking back over at Husky. "Food."

"Husky," Senri corrected.

"Husky."

Nana laughed nervously before also turning her attention to the young fish lad, "Husky! Come on! Come meet Ai!"

"No way IN HELL!" he hollered before diving in once more, determined to stay there until the kit left.

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**Well, that's it so far. Thank you for reading and please review! ^-^ *bows***

***Kit to my knowledge is what a young fox is called so please don't think that I just spelled "kid" wrong.**

**~LovingNinja~**


	2. Or Ai

**I do not own +Anima or the characters except for mine, Ai.**

**Please Read and Review, thank you~!**

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It took almost the entire day for Husky to leave the lake, Nana and Cooro had to convince him that Ai was only hungry and mistook him for a fish, that when he would turn back to normal she wouldn't bother him. He thought it over, but felt that as long as he had his weapon, his battle stick, he could keep her away, so he then decided to leave his sanctuary. Now happy, Cooro and Nana rushed over to Senri and Ai, dragging Husky along, ignoring his shouts on how his arms were hurting and being pulled out of their sockets. However, after a more formal introduction between the young fish and fox, the tiny red-haired girl clung to Husky's mid-torso tightly in an awkward embrace.

"Aw! How cute! I think she likes you Husky!" Nana squealed, cheeks blooming red in giddiness.

"Like to eat me is more like it," the silver-haired lad grumbled, glaring at Ai who stared up at him blankly. "All she sees me as is seafood."

"I'm sure that's not all, Husky," said Cooro seriously as he sat down next to the fire.

"Of course it is! Besides, she's a damn fox! Not only is she a girl but she's a fox!"

"So? What wrong with that?"

"Foxes are cunning evil little creatures! For all we know, we shouldn't be trusting her! What if she's part of some gang that's watching us right now?"

"Wouldn't we be able to sense them if that was the case?"

"That's not the point, idiot!"

*Hic*

"Oh dear," Nana's voice was shaky as she watched the fox child, nervousness evident.

*Hic* *Hic*

"Oh dear what?"

Instantly, Ai began bawling against Husky's stomach, against his shirt, soaking it in her tears. The fish +Anima groaned, hating to see any female cry. Senri stood where he was nervously, looking at Cooro like a confused dog wanting to know if she was all right.

"Crap! H-How do I turn her off? Hey! S-Stop crying! Why are you crying?"

"Mama!" Ai shouted, clinging onto Husky tighter and tighter.

Eyes widening in shock, Husky couldn't help but echo ,"M-Mama?"

"Ah!" Cooro gasped in realization. "You must look like Ai's mother!"

"What?" Husky glared at the crow lad, cheeks gaining red at the insult; how dare he be compared to a female!

"It's the only thing that makes sense."

"Cooro's right, Husky. You may seem like her mother to her," Nana nodded.

The fish +Anima sighed heavily, "Great, that's just freaking great, but how the Hell am I supposed to get her off of me and make her stop crying?"

Cooro shrugged, "I don't know."

"That doesn't help me, idiot!"

"Well, I'm sorry. I don't know what to do."

"Mama," Senri spoke up, looking at Husky as if to suggest something.

The silver-haired child glared half-heartedly as the red in his cheeks grew even the slightest. "What do you mean Mama?" he growled.

"I think Senri means you should act like a mother?" Cooro thought aloud, making Husky cringe at the thought.

"What?"

"Is that what you meant, Senri?"

The bear child nodded, a dust of pink on his own cheeks, feeling a bit uncomfortable from the younger's irritated gaze upon him.

"If you really do remind her of her mother, then it makes sense that if you were to soothe her, she'd stop crying and calm down," Nana added, trying her best not to smile at Husky's unfortunate fate.

The young boy sighed as he looked down at the little girl who continued to sob and cling onto him, with no sign of it ending. "Fine," he muttered. "Whatever the hell I have to do…just to make her stop…" He turned his gaze upwards to the other children of his group and frowned. "We never speak of this, got it?" he shouted, threatened. All three nodded in silence and left Husky to attempt his soothing of the eight-year-old.

Hesitating, he slowly inched his hand to the top of her head, trying to remember the times that he himself had cried and needed to be soothed. How did his mother comfort him? What did she do? Did she sing? Did she hold him? Did she rock him in her beautifully thin pale arms? With another sigh, though this one seeming determined, Husky shook himself from his discomfort and gently pat the young fox's head. "Shhh, it's ok, you don't have to cry anymore," he whispered, an arm embracing the child, hand caressing her shoulder. "It's all right, I've got you. Mama's got you. You don't have to be afraid anymore."

Slowly, with every word, every kind and gentle syllable that Husky uttered, Ai's sobs lessened, more and more. Within a minute, complete silence surrounded the group and when Husky looked down to examine the small child, he saw that she had fallen asleep.

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"Morning~!" Cooro chirped, stretching as sat from his resting place around the burnt out fire.

"Good morning, Cooro, Husky, Senri," Nana yawned as she, too, stretched out on the ground, back arching to get the kinks out of it.

Senri only gathered to his knees, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and nodded.

Husky on the other hand…

"Ah! Th-The money!" he screeched, panic filling his voice.

"Huh? What about the money, Husky?" Cooro questioned.

"It's gone! A-Ai! She's gone! She-She took it! She took the money!"

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**Well, that's it so far. Thank you for reading and please review! **

**~LovingNinja~**


	3. Really a Burden

**I do not own +Anima or the characters except for mine, Ai.**

**Please Read and Review, thank you~!**

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"That…That…That little bitch!" Husky shouted, tears of anger in his eyes as he glared down at the soil, where he left the bag that kept the money. It was gone, along with Ai. Which could only mean that…

"No, it doesn't," Nana scowled as Husky even attempted to state his theory. "Ai is just a little girl. Do you really believe that she would take the money? It seems more likely that she was taken while we were sleeping and so was the money."

The glare that the fish-boy held increased as he pointed it at the young bat child. "Idiot! If she was taken it would make more sense that we would have woken up and saved her and the money! The most logical conclusion is that she took it!"

"Why would she do that?"

"Because she's a cunning little fox! I told you, you can't trust a fox! They lie and steal and cheat and other bad things!"

The group went silent. Though, should they really be surprised? There have been plenty of experiences during their travels where they befriended someone only to be betrayed in the end. Who knew it would be so soon after meeting her that Ai would go and take their money?

"Well, what do we do now?" Nana broke the silence, feeling uneasy around the seriously infuriated merchild.

"That's obvious," Cooro stated. "We look for her of course."

"But, she could be anywhere by now!"

"Doesn't matter. We've been through worse. We can do it. Right, Senri?"

The older male nodded.

"Of course we can do this," Husky scoffed, rising to his feet before turning to gather his things. "We'll hunt her down, get our money back and question her. Who knows, we might have fox for dinner."

Yes, it was never a good idea to take money from Husky.

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With Cooro flying around it wouldn't be hard to spot Ai from the sky from a bird's eye view. Of course, Nana would help him, sending her back to the camp to fetch Husky and Senri while Cooro would follow Ai, or even try to stop her. Hopefully Ai was working alone and not part of some gang that would be an obstacle. The last thing they needed was more of those.

"Cooro, you won't go down if there are people with her, will you?" Nana questioned in worry, knowing that the raven would do something so foolish and reckless.

"If it looks like she needs help of course I will," the boy replied, eyes making sure never to leave the ground, not to stop scanning for the fox child.

Nana sighed, "Then, let's hope she's alone then."

"You know, as much as I hate to think about it, I can't help but believe she may have partners."

"Cooro! Now you're sounding just like Husky!"

"He makes sense though, Nana. Even if Ai did steal the money by herself, she's only eight-years-old, she can't do much by herself. She has to be working with at least one other person. Someone older."

"What if she's being forced to do it?" Nana would not give up in defending the girl. There was just something about her that could not convince Nana that she was bad.

"If she's being forced then that means we'll just have to save her, doesn't?"

Hearing those words made the bat's heart soar. "Yes, you're ri-"

"Ah! Look! Nana! Down there! Do you see her?" Cooro shouted, pointing a little up ahead where a tiny fox ran on all fours, a bag in its mouth as it ran through trees. "That has to be her! Hurry, go get Husky and Senri! I'll try to stop her!"

"All right!" Nana turned sharply and just before she darted back to camp she told the boy, "Be careful."

Cooro flew straight down, falling like an arrow as he aimed down on Ai. He swooped over her, forcing a gust of win to push her over, making her somersault several times before flopping down on her stomach. Slowly landing on his feet, Cooro stood before the kit who took her time in regressing from a fox to the way she was before, a little red-head with fox-like ears and tail. Ai spit the bag out, glaring at the crow before her as she sat up in the dirt.

"What do you want?" she growled, not even bothering to pretend in front of the boy.

"Ai," Cooro stepped towards her, "you stole our money from us."

"And, that means it's mine now," she huffed, stuffing the bag up her shirt and cradling it.

"It's still ours."

"Too bad! Now it's mine!"

"Why are you doing this Ai?"

Ai's glare deepened, "Stop saying my name!"

"Ai-"

"Just leave me alone!" the kit attempted to run past him, but he grabbed her tail, forcing a yelp out of her and making her freeze. "Let go!"

"Why are you stealing, Ai?"

"Let me go!"

"Ai, why are you doing this?"

"Mama!"

At that, Cooro's eyes widened as he saw the girl's face turn as red as her hair and tears start flowing down her cheeks. He released her and she fell to her knees, clutching the bag to her chest, and her body started shivering. He walked around to face her, kneeling down and trying to get a better view of her hidden hanging face.

"Ai?" he called out to her, placed a hand on her shoulder. Though, in a flash, he was knocked down, trampled on by the smaller being as she ran pass him.

"Ha! I can't believe you fell for that twi-!" she stopped mid-giggle as she bumped into something taller, throwing her off balance and into the dirt. The bag left her hands and skidded on the earth. She looked up to see that she had bumped into the blue merboy who glared down at her with the fires of Hell in his eyes.

Cooro rose to his feet, dusted himself off and picked up the bag. He grinned, "Hey there, Husky. Where are the others?"

"Senri stayed at camp," Husky answered, eyes never leaving the kit. "Nana brought me here but I told her to go back. We'll be bringing this good for nothing," he made out to grab Ai, but she turned, trying to escape, though it was futile when he extended his reach to grasp her tail, "back with us." He yanked on it once for emphasis and Ai cried out, fighting back real tears as she glared up at the fishboy.

"What's your problem?" she screeched. "You don't have to pull on my tail! That hurts!"

"And, you didn't have to steal our money! But, you did! Didn't you?" Husky tugged once more, pulling a squeal out of the girl.

However, the bird boy wasn't pleased with this and scowled, "Hey, Husky. I know you don't like it when people take our money, but don't you think you're going a bit too far? She's still just a little girl."

"Oh please, she's not that little," the younger boy rolled his eyes. "She's eight, and for all we know she was lying about that. Her name probably isn't even Ai!"

"It is!" the fox shouted, clawing at the ground to keep her composure. "My name _is _Ai. I _am_ eight years old."

"Then, who are you working with?" Cooro asked, stepping over and crouching down in front of her, a smile on his face as her eyes widened.

"Wh-What are you talking about?" her eyes dashed away, avoiding the boy's gaze.

He chuckled, "You're working with someone right? Someone who does bad things?"

"No!"

"There's someone who's telling you what to do, correct?"

Ai remained silent. She wouldn't budge.

Husky sighed, "Let's take her back to camp. Odds are that those bastards are close and if she says something they don't like and they hear it, all of us could be in trouble."

"Didn't you want to take her back anyway?"

"Yeah, so I have no objection to this."

"All right then," Cooro chirped, turning and making his way back towards camp.

"H-Hey! Cooro!"

"Yes?" the boy queried, not stopping or looking back.

"Come back here and take her! Trade! I'll carry the money!"

"Nope!"

"Why not?"

"It was your idea to take her, so you're taking her!"

"Th-That's not fa-!" Husky was interrupted by a giggle. He looked down to see Ai laughing without any shame. "What's so funny?"

The fox let out one more giggle, then another, before settling down and calming herself. She grinned up at the older child and said, "Looks like you're stuck with me…Mama." She winked at the title which made him cringe.

Husky's scowl was never as large as it was at that moment, his face flushed with anger and embarrassment. He pulled as hard as he could, roughly as he could, dragging the kit by her tail. Only two words leaving his mouth. "Shut the hell up!" Whoops, I meant four.

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**Well, that's it so far. Thank you for reading and please review! **

**~LovingNinja~**


	4. How

**I do not own +Anima or the characters except for mine, Ai.**

**Please Read and Review, thank you~!**

* * *

Currently, Senri was cooking some fish and a bit of herbs for breakfast. The others? Nana watched on the sidelines as Cooro and Husky argued about Ai, who was currently sitting between the two squabbling boys.

"We can't just let her go hungry, Husky!"

"Well, we can't exactly feed her you know!"

"And, why not?"

"There isn't enough! She made us waste so much time with this ridiculous hunt for her that we couldn't go out and find a bit more food!"

"It's just for now, we can definitely feed he-!"

"It's fine," Ai sighed in a dull monotone. "I don't need to eat anything. I don't need, or even want, your food."

Cooro blinked in surprise as Husky crossed his arms with a huff, "See? She doesn't even want any. You're a real fool, Cooro."

The crow ignored his friend and kneeled down to Ai's eye level, where she turned her head to avoid his gaze. "Are you sure, Ai?" he asked softly. "We really wouldn't mind giving you any."

"It's fine," she repeated. "I'm used to it."

"That doesn't mean it's okay."

"I ate yesterday, missing one meal won't kill me."

"So, those bastards you're working for don't feed you?" Huksy asked, not holding a bit of concern in his features or tone. It was more like he was interrogating her.

"What's it to you?" Ai spat. "Don't question me like that!"

"Um, Ai," Nana walked over to the trio, and sat in front of the younger girl with a worried expression on her face. "Ai, is there a reason you're working with these people?"

Ai didn't say a word. She remained silent. Expression bitter.

"Could you at least tell us what they do?"

This brought the girl's eyes to meet with Nana's. She answered in one word, "Slaves."

Husky twitched as he grew a glare, "Slave traders?"

Ai nodded, "They're a small group. They come here, trick +Anima, and take them to Sailand."

"And, you're helping them?" the merchild growled.

"They bought me, I have no choice," the fox returned the older boy's glare with vice.

"You don't have a collar."

"That's because here +Anima aren't slaves and I would look suspicious with one."

"Why not take this opportunity to run away then?"

"Because I can't!"

"And, why not?"

Ai held her tongue, cheeks puffing red as she took in a deep breath to calm herself. "I just can't, all right?" she sighed.

"What if we help you?" Cooro suggested. "I'm sure the four of us could help you escape."

The kit shook her head, "It wouldn't work."

"I'm sure if we tried, it would work."

"What, do they have some kind of tracker on you?" Husky asked.

"No," Ai murmured, lowering her head.

"Then, what?"

The red haired girl threw her sight up, eyes in tears as she said, "You all are idiots! You can't tell that I was trying to trick you by stealing your money? I was going to give you to those men. Turn you into slaves in Sailand!" Her bottom lip quivered as she let out a shaky breath. "It's such a scary place."

Cooro and Nana sat where they were, unsure that they were even able to comfort this child before them. Reluctantly, the crow placed a hand on the puff of red hair, right in the crevice of Ai's fox-ears. His voice was low and smooth as he calmly attempted to reach to the girl, "Ai, we won't let you go back. Okay? You don't have to."

Again and again the kit shook her head, almost weeping, "No, no, no, no, no, I have to."

"But, just because they bought you in Sailand doesn't mean that they still own you. Here, you are free, right?"

"No…they…they have my mom."

"Is she a +Anima as well?" Husky queried.

Ai nodded.

Nana clapped her hands joyfully, "Oh? What kind?"

"Wolf."

"A…wolf?" Nana mumbled the thought, swishing it about in her mind before beaming. "She must be so beautiful!"

"She is," Ai shrugged. "Or, at least I think so."

"So, you and your mother were bought together?" Cooro asked.

"Yes. Along with a few others. She and the adults work at the campsite or wherever the group is staying. The other kids and I go out, dragging more +Anima to Sailand and captivity."

"Is that how they got you and your mother?"

At this, the young fox grit her teeth and nodded.

"And, how do we know you're not just making this all up?" Husky inquired, a scowl on his face, hands on his hips in accusation.

However, once again, Cooro was the one to come to Ai's defense, "Why would she need to?"

"To drag us out to those people! Can't you see she told us all of this so we'd pity her and help her? It's all just an ambush!"

"We don't know that for sure, Husky!" Nana snapped. "There could be other +Anima caged up! We have no right to turn our backs on them!"

"They might not even exist!"

"They do!" Ai shouted, glaring once more at the merboy. "My mother and the others are all there! There's no lying about that! But, I didn't tell you because I want your pity! I'd never want your pity!"

"Then, why tell us?"

"Because you asked! Because you kept asking and I was sick of it! You don't have to help me! We'll all be just fine without you!"

"Good! Because we're not going to even try to help!"

"Husky!" Cooro stood up, frowning at his friend. "We have to help them! It's horrible to be a slave! Especially when not all of the owners are nice!"

"Cooro, you're a fool, an idiot! You can't tell the difference between a lie and the truth!"

Just as the two boys were about to butt heads, Senri walked up, standing beside Nana, and one word left his lips.

"Breakfast."

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**To Be Continued…!**

**Thank you for reading! Please Review!**

**~LovingNinja~**


	5. Unprecedented

**I do not own +Anima or the characters except for mine, Ai.**

**Please Read and Review, thank you~!**

* * *

"So, what are we going to do then?" Nana queried as the group had huddled together for breakfast; Husky giving in to feeding the intruder, Ai, but only on the condition that she get half of what they each received.

"Like I said, we-" Husky started but was interrupted by Nana.

"About Ai's mother and the other +Anima."

Husky sighed, but Cooro was the one to respond, "I guess we'll just have to head over to where it they are and just see what we can do."

"It'll take a week to get to the bay," Ai stated. "If I'm not there by at least then, then there's a possibility they'll do something to my mother…"

"What?!" Nana screeched. "Why didn't you tell us that before?!"

"It's not really any of your business…" Ai replied. "But, if it's going to be this way, then I guess in order for you guys to trust me, and for me to trust you, is for us to be open and honest."

"Then, after this meal, we'll pack up and head there," Cooro announced with a smile on his face. "And, Ai, you'll need to lead the way."

"You trust me enough not to lead you into a trap?"

"Of course."

"Well, then," Ai looked down at her food and smiled softly will a bit of pink in her cheeks, "thank you, I guess."

"Oh! She's smiling!" Nana giggled.

"Ai, you have such a pretty smile," Cooro added.

Suddenly, a scowl grew to replace that tiny light, and Nana and Cooro laughed as Senri smiled and Husky glared at his food.

And so, the group set forth for their week of traveling, going at a steady pace for rushing would just waste energy and they would end up falling behind in the end. Ai led the way sternly as she made sure to take in all the details of the area around them to make sure they were going the correct way, after all it took her a weak to stumble upon Cooro and everyone else, so her memory would be foggy in some areas.

"So, these horrible people," Nana began, "they just let you run out for a certain amount of time?"

"They give us two weeks, give or take a few days, to either get some money, or lure in +Anima, like I said before," Ai answered, not even looking behind her as her eyes remained forward.

"What makes them think you won't desert them?" Husky queried.

"They don't. Like I said, they have my mother and so I have to return. They only send out the ones who have someone else dear in the group, generally us younger ones since we're more agile than adults and have a 'look of innocence', while the adults stay on the ship and do various chores. Though…sometimes people leave and never come back. It looks bad if it's an adult, especially between lovers, but some people just can't take it and won't acknowledge that their partner is in danger in their absence. For the children, however, it's usually the case of the parent telling them to go and leave them behind."

"Has your mother ever told you to run?" Nana asked.

Ai was silent for a moment, and her footsteps only faltered for a second as she continued on. "Yes," she replied. "But, I won't leave her."

"Do they do such horrible things when people escape?"

"Yes. Right in front of everyone, they'll be beaten every day until the other returns or until they…can't take it any more…"

A hush enveloped the group, but still they moved forward. Through the small pathways from the trees and over large roots that blocked their way, the party made a steady pace towards the ship where slave traders would be, people who would very much like to try to catch them and possibly sell them off. Yet, these children were willing to help this stranger who had lied and stolen from them, to fight these demons and rescue everyone on that ship. And, Ai couldn't deny in her heart that she was at least a little bit grateful.

* * *

The rest of that day was spent in general silence, the tension between the group and the newcomer still a bit too thick for them to be at ease with much casual conversation, though some was attempted by Cooro and Nana, but it was often ended immediately by either Ai or Husky. When dusk was rearing its head, Nana and Cooro stayed to set up camp to the side of the pathway, hidden in case any travelers or any of those slave traders came by, and Husky, Senri, and Ai went out for food.

Husky did his best to stick close with Senri, somewhat ignoring Ai as the three of them looked for berries and herbs; they being too deep into the trees to go a safe distance in search of water for fish anything else. However, somewhere along the way, Husky and Ai ended up separated from Senri; too bad he was the silent type…

So, Husky and Ai stood with their arms full of fruits and other natural nutrient-filled eatables, not daring to look at one another and just straight ahead. The night was coming fast and the chilling air was hitting the two, especially Ai's bare legs and feet. Her teeth started to chatter subtly, catching the attention of the merboy beside her.

He sighed, "They don't clothe you well, do they?"

Ai looked over at the fish lad before laughing with a chill in her voice, "Is it that obvious?"

Husky frowned, "I was just trying to be nice."

"That's a first."

"Hey, you have no right to say that, you know?"

"You didn't really give me a warm greeting."

"You didn't set yourself up for one."

There was a moment of silence before Ai laughed, "I…suppose you're right…"

Husky sighed, however, in response, "I guess…I was madder at you than I should have been…I guess…"

"You guess…?"

There was a scowl on Husky's lips, "Must you respond so arrogantly each time I say something?"

"Well, excuse m-" And, suddenly, Ai was overcome with a sneeze, and then another, and then another.

"H-Hey…are you all right?"

"Yeah…" was the weak croak of a response as Ai sniffled. "I'm just…really cold…"

Husky wasn't sure on what to do. They needed to find Senri, but if Ai was going to get sick from the cold air then perhaps they should head back to camp first? "It's possible that after getting lost that Senri went back to camp…" the young boy stated to the fox. "So, let's head there."

"A-A-A-Are you s-s-sure?" Ai queried, teeth starting to chatter a bit more.

"Yeah, unlike Cooro and Nana, he's not an idiot," Husky answered, then thought, _Not really anyway…_

"O-O-Okay…" Ai nodded shakily as her feet shifted in place. "L-L-Lead the way."

And so Husky did. He made sure to go fast enough to keep Ai warm and to get her back to a fire as soon as possible, all the while keeping a pace that was as slow as they could afford to so that she could keep up and he wouldn't lose her in this cold dark. If needed, Husky would go back out and look for Senri, or perhaps Nana since she was of better use in the dark than anyone else.

And luckily, when they arrived, Senri was sitting there with Cooro and Nana beside the fire, mixing whatever he found in one of the few bowls they were able to obtain throughout their journey. Husky sighed with relief as Nana rushed over and led Ai to the fire, the younger girl's tail curling up on her as she sat down, handing off her goods to the bat-child to give to Senri. She pulled her arms into her shirt from the long sleeves and wrapped her bare arms about her bare torso underneath, knees up to her chest, ears flat against her head, and tail covering her shins as her feet and face were warmed by the fire.

And, when her eyes met Husky's, he couldn't prove it but they seemed to be thanking him.

* * *

**To Be Continued…!**

**Thank you for reading! Please Review!**

**~LovingNinja~**

**ALSO! In case you are interested! I drew chibi Ai and chibi Husky! Just check out my dA account FellDownAlone and in my gallery is my +Anima OC folder! :D  
**


	6. Sick

**I do not own +Anima or the characters except for mine, Ai.**

**Please Read and Review, thank you~!**

* * *

The next morning was bright. The chill of the night gone, having dissipated to a lovely warmth. However, that warmth felt a bit…suffocating…why? As the sun shined from above, it still seemed so dark, like shadows from behind the closed lids of Ai's eyes. She peeked them open, hearing a sigh as she did and to her surprise, when she looked up, she saw the sleeping features of the very merboy she had thought she detested. Her cheeks flushed a deep red as she scrambled away, the dirt and grass being kicked up as she held a gasp, cheeks puffing out in restriction. She looked around, Senri lying flat on his back with Cooro and Nana curled at his sides. She looked back down at Husky, wondering if he was the one to curl next to her for warmth, or she sought out him.

"Mnna?" slowly, Husky's eyes peered open, blinking as he lied on his side, arms close to his torso, before he looked up, seeing a flustered Ai. He sat up, one brow raised as his voice croaked out, "What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing," Ai coughed, sitting up straight and looking over towards the rest of the group. "They're…still asleep."

Blinking more, Husky's vision turned to Senri and the others before sighing, "Then, let them. Go back to sleep, too. We didn't sleep well last night from how cold it was."

"But…" the fox murmured, seeming absent-minded. "What about my mother?"

At this, Husky flinched. Pausing as he kept his gaze on the torn-up grass in front of him. He heaved a heavy sigh, "You're right, I guess."

"Oh, wait! No, I'm sorry!" Ai replied hurriedly, seeming a bit abashed. "I didn't mean to say that…!"

Again, the fish-lad raised his brows, finding the kit to be acting… "You all right? You're being rather strange."

"I…" Ai fell silent. She originally didn't even want to bother these people with her _personal_ problem, but they insisted. And, now, she was sounding like some needy beggar. "I…have to go to the bathroom." She stated, standing up. "I'll…be back shortly."

"O…kay…?" Husky shook his head, watching the red-haired girl make her way into the forest that surrounded them until she was out of view; perfectly acceptable when needing to relieve oneself. After a minute of waking up, the boy rose to his feet, made his way towards the others and shook Cooro's shoulder. "Hey, come on you three, it's time to get up."

Two groans made their way to Husky's ears, Cooro and Nana stirred, Senri's eyes opened. After another shake to the bird's shoulder, and one to the bat's, the two younger +Anima soon awoke, sitting up as Senri lied perfectly still, seeming to be in a bit of a daze.

"Eh? Good morning, Husky," Cooro smiled, rubbing at his head, brows furrowed as though he were in pain.

"Cooro, are you okay?"

"Hm? Yeah, just a bit of a headache."

"Huh? Where's Ai?" Nana inquired as she looked around, not seeing the kit anywhere.

"Bathroom," Husky stated simply. "Now, let's hurry up so we can get some breakfast and head out."

After several moments to themselves, the +Anima children soon got up to their feet, looking around the area for a few scraps to snack on before they continued their journey. They had six days left, and they had no idea how much progress they made from the day and night before. Was it possible that they may arrive there early? That seemed doubtful, instead it seemed more realistic to say that they would be lucky to make it in time. Just in time, before they touched Ai's mother.

"Hey, guys," Nana called to the boys as they each separately returned to camp, as usual Senri was sitting down and mixing together whatever they could find. "Have you seen Ai around?"

"No, why?" Cooro rose a brow, head tilting to the side as he placed the berries he found beside Senri.

"She hasn't come back, and I haven't seen her all morning."

"That damn fox," Husky frowned. "I'll go look for her. If it looks like she's just up and left, I say we turn back and move on."

"Husky!"

"If she's gone, that means she was lying to us, doesn't it? Which means we have no business going to the bay." And with that, the fish lad turned on his heel, leaving no room for argument as he entered the trees once again. What was he to do? If it looked like a trap, he couldn't let his friends and himself walk right into it. Even if they would be mad at him for it, he had to do what was best for them, whether or not they wanted to listen to him. He would search, and really search, for the fox-child, and if he found her… Should he be angry? Yes, he should. Or at least he believed he should be. "Ai! You around here?!" he called out, scowling. He turned the corner of a tree, and almost instantly tripped onto his face in the dirt. "Damn root," he grumbled, looking back and freezing. It wasn't a root that he tripped over, it was Ai. She was sleeping, curled in a ball with her tail tightly wound about her petite form.

Sitting up, Husky inched over, shaking the girl's shoulder, "Ai, what are you doing sleeping out here?" The only response he was given was a light "kyun". He lifted the girl's chin, and his brows furrowed. Her cheeks were flushed and her complexion was white as a sheet, she was sweating lightly and her breathing a bit heavy. He felt her forehead, "Fever?" Husky sighed, scooping the kit up to the best of his ability, sitting her up and maneuvering her so she leaned against his back. He slipped his arms beneath her arms, that slipped and dangled at his sides, his hands held a grip on the bottom of her thighs, and he had to lean forward to carry her weight. He grunted as he stood, and even more so as he slowly made his way back to the others; who scrambled over at the sight when he returned, Senri taking Ai and laying her down beside the food, her head on his lap.

"What happened?" Cooro inquired, watching as Nana slipped some water into Ai's mouth from one of their canteens, the liquid trickling down her cheeks and onto Senri's lap.

"I don't know," Husky growled, crossing his arms as he glared at Ai. "I just found her like this. I think she's caught a cold from last night. She's barely dressed for crying out loud."

"Are you worried?"

"Are _you_?"

"Well…yes…"

"Then, don't make it sound like a damn mystery as to whether or not I am. It's called human decency. It's not like she chose to wear _that_, I'm sure. So many of those people in Sailand don't care whether or not their 'slaves' are properly dressed. It's disgusting."

"I'm fine," were the coughed out words of the suddenly hoarse throat that belonged to young Ai. She swatted, weakly, at Nana's hand and the water as her eyes refrained from clenching shut, her cheeks gaining a deeper red before she was encased with heavy wheezing.

"No, you're not, fine!" Nana chided, helping her sit up and handing her the canteen that was soon thrown to the side. "Ai!"

"I don't…need it…!" the kit stood to her feet, wobbling as she huffed her breaths, hunching slightly. "Let's…go…"

"You're an idiot," Husky stated, walking over to the fox, grabbing her shoulder and shoving her down, landing on her rear before she fell back a bit, catching herself barely on the palms of her hands. "Rest. If you don't, even if by some miracle we do get there you won't be in any condition to move any more than this. Understand?"

"Bastard," Ai tried to stand once more, but her knees would not have it and she slipped onto her back, releasing a cry of pain.

"Then, rest! Idiot!" Husky shouted, picking up the discarded canteen and handing it to Nana. "You take care of her. I'll be back."

"And, where are _you_ going at a time like _this_?" the bat child queried, seeming flustered from all of the happenings right then.

"For a walk! If I'm around this stupid fox any longer I'll lose it!"

Just as Nana was about to spit out a remark, Cooro interrupted her by taking the canteen and telling Senri to hold Ai sitting-up. The bear did as instructed, tilting her back a little as her head hung back, eyes shut as she panted hot puffs of air. From her open mouth, Cooro trickled some water in, catching her by surprise and making her cough slightly before she stilled, allowing the liquid to slide down her throat.

"How could this have happened so suddenly?" Nana thought out loud. "I mean, isn't it weird? She was fine last night, wasn't she? And, I'm sure she was all right this morning. Husky hasn't said otherwise."

"Herb," was the murmured word that left Senri's lips, gaining the attention of the two younger +Anima.

"'Herb'?"

"Do you think she ate something bad? Like, some kind of poison?" Cooro questioned Senri.

The bear's nose twitched before he nodded. "Makes…Ai sick…"

"An herb to make her sick…"

"I can't believe she would just pick something up and eat it without being careful," Nana voiced. "It doesn't make sense, she's too careful of person."

Cooro shrugged, "Well, maybe she made a mistake. I mean, she tries to be careful, but at the same time, there's only so much she can do."

"It looks like we just have to wait until her fever goes down."

* * *

When Ai awoke, the sun was beginning to set. The first thought to her mind was as to whether or not she had anything to return to the ship with, and wondered if she would soon be there. However, when it struck her, the memory of what happened earlier, she sprung up instantly from the ground, hunching over automatically afterwards. Her head was spinning and her stomach churning. She placed a hand over her mouth as she curled up where she sat, releasing a groan.

"That's what you get for foolishly eating a poisonous herb," a voice chided from the depths of her mind. Though, when she realized it wasn't her own voice, she then realized it was on the outside. She glanced up; it was Husky standing in front of her with his hands on his hips. "We're doing this for _you_. You shouldn't be going around getting sick and delaying us a whole day."

"A-A whole…d-day?" Ai squeaked out, seeming as concerned as she could be while feeling so ill.

"Of course, we couldn't move you, and we don't know where to go."

"Husky, leave her alone," Nana growled, rushing over to Ai's side suddenly, catching the kit off-guard to where she inched away from the bat child, slapping her hand when it came close to touch her shoulder. "Ai?"

"Ah…s-sorry…just…damn…" Ai settled, lying down on her side and curling up as her body trembled. Moaning in pain, her eyes clenched shut as her arms wrapped around her tiny abdomen.

Husky sighed, "This is just…great…really…" The mer-child went back to the camp, sitting down angrily with Cooro munching on food as Senri was glancing through his little book. "Senri," he called, earning the older boy's attention. "Do you think you know what she may have eaten if you look through that?"

Senri stared silently before nodding, turning his attention back to the book and flipping through some pages, "It could help."

"At least Senri has the right idea," Nana sighed. "_Helping_."

Husky scowled, "There's only so much we can do in this situation. We can only wait until she gets better."

"Hopefully she'll be feeling good again by the morning," Cooro said. "I'm sure it isn't too bad. She broke out of her fever, didn't she?"

"She did," Nana nodded. "So, maybe you're right. Maybe it wasn't that poisonous an herb."

"Or, maybe it was something she was allergic to," Husky grumbled.

"There we go, Husky, that's better!"

The fish-boy glowered at the tiny fire that was settling. It was going to be another cold night from the looks of it. They would have to bring Ai even closer to the fire to make sure she didn't freeze or develop another fever from the cold. This was just the beginning, and already they were heading into troubles. What was that to tell them? Was it a sign to just give up and go back?

* * *

**To Be Continued…!**

**Thank you for reading! Please Review!**

**~LovingNinja~**


	7. Kindly Kursing

**I do not own +Anima or the characters except for mine, Ai.**

**Please Read and Review, thank you~!**

**Also, a note on the chapter title, "Kindly Kursing". Of course it would be "Cursing" but the double K is in an artistic sense not a sign of illiteracy or the like. :D Just a bit of selfishness on my part perhaps.**

* * *

"Husky, Husky! Wake up!"

"Nnn?" Eyes didn't open an inch as brows furrowed from the call of their owner's name, a voice shattering through the welcomed sleep that was being given less freely within the past few days.

"Husky!" came another shout as a sudden jolt was given to his system, a brutal shove in his side, rolling him over face-first into the dirt.

A muffle groan was heard from the merboy until he sat up on his knees, glaring and spitting whatever got into his mouth, rubbing the dirt off of his face. He turned his attention to see a rather ruffled Nana, "What do you want?! I was sleeping!"

"I know!" Nana huffed, standing and crossing her arms. "I woke you up because _we're_ all up and _we're_ getting ready to set out!"

"Huh?" wide eyes blinked and looked around, Cooro was helping an unsteady, but improved, Ai rise to her feet as Senri dismantled the leftover wood from the fire. "I…see…" Dusting off his knees, Husky slowly stood, and stretched, a yawn taking over. "How's Ai?"

"I'm fine," the fox anima answered, making her way over, slouching slightly as her steps were small and even-paced. "I'm a little woozy and such but I can go ahead. We can't be delayed anymore."

"If you didn't want to be delayed, you shouldn't have eaten that herb."

"Husky," Nana hissed, but Ai waved it off.

"Remember, I didn't ask for your help to begin with."

Husky scoffed, "Maybe not to begin with but you were sure asking for it yesterday morning."

Silencing, Ai's cheeks gained a pink color before she turned on her heel, a mistake on her part in which she instantly became dizzy and unbalanced, letting out a yelp as she fell backwards, feeling something hit her back, stopping her descent. She sighed, allowing her mind to calm and eyesight to fix itself before she slowly looked over her shoulder to see that it was Husky who had caught her. "Erm…" she frowned, pushing away from the fish-lad and walking away. "Thanks."

The older boy sighed, looking to Nana and whispering, "Are you sure she can even go on? She's still a little sickly…"

"I know. I insisted that we take another day to rest, but she insisted _even more so_ that we go on. She really wants to see her mother, Husky," Nana's eyes turned to the girl who suddenly began to exchange words with the winged-boy, asking him something they couldn't quite hear, before her eyes returned to the other. "You know what it's like, looking for your mother. Remember?"

Frowning, Husky closed his eyes, crossing his arms as though to block Nana out. His heart was too familiar with the feeling of not being with the mother he loved and worried about, but with the way things were in Sailand…he couldn't stay with her the way he was now. There was just no hiding it. At least Ai had a chance. Though +Anima were discriminated here, at least they weren't "property".

* * *

The morning dragged on. They had to stop many times because of Ai's condition. Even if she didn't want to, she was stilled forced to rest when her body became disobedient, refusing to move any further. Nana checked her, this fifth time now the afternoon, feeling her forehead and cheeks, and just below chin on her neck, the kit's ears falling back and pressing close to her head.

"You don't feel too warm," the bat-child stated. "I don't believe it's a fever." She looked around, "Is there a river or something nearby?"

Ai shook her head, "No. There shouldn't be any forms of water near here for another ten miles."

"Ten miles?" Cooro's brows creased in concern.

"It'll take us four hours, maybe even more, to get there at this rate," Husky grumbled.

"At least we're making progress!" Ai snapped, glaring.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey," Cooro stepped in, looking back and forth between the fish and the fox. "Can you two please stop fighting? I know you don't have to get along, and I know you don't like each other, but can't you please refrain from arguing every chance you get?"

"Who do you think starts it?" Husky glowered. "It isn't my fault."

Ears upright, Ai's eyes narrowed, hair ruffling like fur, her tail twitching, and she hissed, "If you like, you're welcome to leave."

"I'm not leaving Cooro, Nana, and Senri to you."

"Still don't trust me? Think I'm leading you all into a trap to be taken by those slave-trading bastards?"

"Why'd you eat that herb?"

"Would you just let that go?! Ugh!" Ai's hand instantly covered her mouth, her cheeks puffing out before she turned, falling to her knees and crawling to the grass, relieving any illness that was still in her stomach, Nana crouching next to her and rubbing her back soothingly.

After several moments of Ai relieving herself, emptying all contents in her system that displeased her innards, the group slowly regained their pace. Ai was feeling quite a bit better after her fit, and the quarreling ceased for the time being, Husky being rear guard, keeping his eyes sharp on the area around them.

It didn't take as long as they originally thought, but it did take a while before they reached a small lake, decided perfect for a rest spot, food gathering and for clean and fresh water to go into their canting. Husky took a dive to go fishing for a snack, and Ai stayed close on the edge, waiting for any extras that Husky may happen to miss, her claws out and eyes piercing as her tail stilled and ears twitched to every noise they could pick up.

And, then, a few fish splashed up, trying to escape their predator, and Ai took a swing, missing barely and cursing. "My reflexes…aren't catching up yet…" she growled, glaring at her slightly furred paw.

"They've dulled from the herb?" Husky queried, swimming over and placing his spear with several fish twitching on the end beside the girl on land.

She frowned, "Of course. They're usually much more swift."

"Well, don't push it. You might end up having another 'incident'."

"Oh, please, who has ever heard of vomiting from fishing?"

The fish-lad rolled his eyes, "This is why we argue. You just can't be civil, can you?"

"Haven't we gone over this?" Ai rose a brow, scowling slightly.

"We have, but I thought…" Husky paused, thinking over the words he wasn't sure to say next.

"Thought what?"

"What…what…" Husky suddenly found himself dumbfounded. What was he going to say exactly? That the other night when he took her back to the camp while she was freezing her ass off he thought that perhaps they had finally stepped onto equal levels? Even that morning after he thought things were settling down and then she got sick. After that…his annoyance level rose and his suspicion came back harder. What for? It was strange to eat an unknown herb, wasn't it? Did she know it was poisonous? She had to know, after all that scavenging she did, she should know her plants by now, know how to survive outside. So…

"Hey," Ai gave a light jab of her finger to Husky's forehead. "Stop being in a daze and finish your sentence already." She gave another jab, then another, until Husky grabbed her wrist, making her jump slightly, ears and tail stiffening as his eyes looked up at her. "W-What?"

"Stop it, it's annoying," he grumbled.

With a grumpy pout Ai replied, "Then, let go."

"Will you stop?"

"Of course. You just have to ask."

"All right then," Husky released the girl who decided to scoot back a bit, watching him and the fish. He leaned back, raising a brow. "What now?"

"Are you going to finish your sentence?" she asked.

"What sentence?"

"The one you didn't finish."

Husky scowled, "So, you said…"

With a sigh, Ai's ear gave a slight twitch, "You were saying that you 'thought' something but you never said anything after that."

"Thought what?"

"About us arguing!"

Well this was a bit of a predicament. Here Husky was hoping that she would forget about all of that. He took the fish, removing them from the shaft and placing them in Ai's lap, turning in the water, "Take those back to the others." And, then, he dove back in, leaving the kit sitting there with an irritated pout on her lips, eyes narrowed on the water.

"Now who's the suspicious one…"

* * *

**To Be Continued…!**

**Thank you for reading! Please Review!**

**~LovingNinja~**

**Happy New Year everyone! This, along with my Skip Beat fan fiction, are the first to be worked on this year and I can't wait for more :D Hope you all are healthy and doing well!  
**

**Next Chapter: 2/25/13  
**


	8. Youth Ready for Change

**I do not own +Anima or the characters except for mine, Ai.**

**Please Read and Review, thank you~!**

* * *

The rest of the evening was simple. It was rather quiet between the group, but no one complained so much that there was no quarreling between Husky and Ai; there were no questions. A simple meal was prepared and eaten, and they were quick to leave and set forth. The evening was just on the verge of setting in, the air cooling as the sun descended from its peak. The group had no qualms with spending yet another night in the wilderness as they had done so many times over, but there were also no qualms in staying the night in town.

A town was exactly what they came across that evening, crowded with many out to buy whatever was needed that day for dinner, and many returning home from whatever work kept them. The sign had said "Hallow Field" and the faces that passed seemed rather please. There was a little hope in this town as the children came across it.

Ai was concerned, however, and was noticeably uneasy. "We should just head through," she murmured, hands balled tightly into her white shirt.

"You've been here before, right, Ai?" Cooro inquired.

"I…have…" she nodded hesitantly.

"Is there something wrong with it that you don't like?" Husky questioned.

The kit shook her head, "No, it's nothing like that…"

"Then, what's the problem?" Nana placed a hand on the younger girl's shoulder and she flinched.

"We…don't have time…to stop in town and such…"

The older children; Senri excluded; looked to each other. Cooro and Nana whispered something to Husky, Ai's fur bristling at the secrecy. The fish-lad sighed, reaching into his pack and pulling out their money, quickly peeking in and sifting through before nodding to his friends.

"What are you three up to?" the fox narrowed her eyes, ears upright with tension.

Noticing the way she was reacting to their actions, Nana looked to the boys before back towards Ai. "We were just thinking that, we know that you want to hurry to be with your mother," she started. "But, with the way everything has been so far, we were thinking that we'd get you some better clothes since we can afford it."

Ai stood there, like a deer in the headlights. Her mind had roll the words about over and over until realization dawned on her and a redness enveloped her cheeks. "W-What?" she spun around, turning away from them. "Don't be ridiculous!"

"And, what's so ridiculous about this?" Cooro popped around from her shoulder, making her jump slightly before she bit back.

"Idiot! A slave can't just return with different, better clothes!"

"You don't have to wear them when you return," Husky's voice slipped about her ears. "Until we get there, it's best that you're better clothed, and actually have shoes on your feet."

Red ears twitched before pressing back against their owner's skull. Almost nervously, Ai looked over her shoulder towards the mer-child. "You guys shouldn't waste your money on me."

"It won't be a waste, since you'll need them when you start your new life here," Nana smiled. "When you are free, finally, and we take care of those slave-traders, you'll need a boost to get you going."

"Mother," Senri added, a look in his eyes that had the others giggling; as if they were over-eager at the thought.

"That's right," Husky nodded. "We can even get something for your mother."

"My…mother…?"

"Of course," Cooro insisted, looking to Nana.

The bat added, "When we rescue her, won't you want to put her into some nice new clothes? I'm sure they don't clothe her any better than they clothe you, huh?"

Ai was, to say the least, speechless. She had never known others to be willing to buy something for her that wasn't a requirement or obligation, or even for someone they never met; like her mother. Her heart skipped a beat as her cheeks were peppered pink. "If…" her head hung low as she murmured. "If you really don't mind spending the money…then go ahead…I can't stop you."

Nana and Cooro laughed heartily, the bat child embracing Ai closely, tightly and before she knew it, red ears were pressed tightly against her skull, and tears dripped down her cheeks. After a moment, the kit pulled away from the hold the older girl had on her, rubbing at her eyes and sniffling. "W-Well?" she half-grouched, voice nasally as she sniffled once more.

The one who seemed most excited was Nana. She dragged Ai all about the town with stars in her eyes. The shops they passed; many they could not afford even undergarments from; but almost just as good stores were definitely in their price range. When they entered, Ai was almost immediately thrown into the changing room, a rectangular prism that seemed a little to enclosed for the fox's liking, and when she made to call out, she was stopped by a barrage of clothes falling down on her from above.

"Thank you, Senri," Nana's voice was heard saying before she whispered into the crack of the door to Ai. "I'm sorry, but that crowd was so thick, there were no worries, but this store is more or less empty aside from us and a few others. +Anima are not really welcomed, though we are not slaves, and you can't put away your ears or tail, can you?"

The thought popped into Ai's mind, and it made sense as to why she as so suddenly thrust into this narrow chamber. There were Anima who naturally looked as they were, with permanent features that could not be removed. Her tail and ears had never once disappeared for as long as she had gained her powers. Again, there was a pang in her chest at the realization that these people were taking care of her.

"Ai?"

"Thank you," the words slipped her mouth before she noticed and she quickly added, "for the clothes."

Nana giggled warmly, "You're welcome, Ai." When there was no other response from red-haired female, the bat quickly insisted, "And, when you are done with each outfit, I wanna see! Hear me?"

"Ah…yes…" Quickly, Ai heard steps fleeting. Nana rushed off somewhere with the boys, and a pair of ears twitched slightly at the vibrations. She looked to the mountain of clothes, wondering where exactly she was to start. For most of her life she was in captivity with her mother, and never once owned _real_ clothes. Nothing like these bits of fabric strewn about. She sifted through, finding items she believed to be tops and other items she believed to be bottoms. There were a few hats; more than likely to hide her ears when they were in public areas; as well as a few pairs of shoes and boots.

Several attempts were made before Nana decided that Ai couldn't match anything to save her life. Nana joined her in the changing room and instructed her on what looked best where the boys stood outside, curious as to the sounds and words being thrown about. When the bat-child liked what she saw, she opened the door to the young males, a satisfied grin on her face to see both Cooro and Senri smiling, clapping as Husky stood there appearing a little stunned.

* * *

**To Be Continued…!**

**Thank you for reading! Please Review!**

**~LovingNinja~**

**Well I am satisfied to say that I ended up updating a whole week before the due date I planned for myself! So, here you all go and thank you, thank you, thank you as always for sticking with me. Also, not sure this time as to when I'll be updating this again, but hopefully sooner than I think this time as well.**


	9. Friendship, Perhaps

**I do not own +Anima or the characters except for my OC, Ai.**

**Please Read and Review, Thank you~!**

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"All right, all right," Nana giggled. "Now, tell us, what do you guys think?" Her hands went up, in Ai's direction to display her, the kit standing awkwardly in her new attire. A long gray skirt hit her ankles, while a tight black long-sleeved shirt encompassed her tiny wrists, neck warmed by a turtle-neck extension from the basic collar, and over that was a pale dark blue vest that buttoned up to her neckline. All the while her ears were hidden by an off-white sun hat. Her bared feet were no more as tanned boots were tied relatively tight, a sensation that was quite new to the red-haired child.

Beaming, Cooro nodded his approval as Senri bobbed his own head and continued his clapping, "It's perfect, Nana! You did a great job!"

"Cute," was the one word that the bear-child uttered, a dash of pink in his features as he smiled softly.

Shining with pride, Nana then turned to the still silent, statue-like Husky, "Well, Husky? What do you have to say?"

Blinking once, twice, the merboy released a cough to clear his throat as his eyes narrowed, hands on his hips as he feigned a frown and shrug, "It doesn't look too convenient for traveling, but I suppose it will work as camouflage for when we go into towns. It's not bad."

At first, Nana bristled at the cold words the other dared to speak, the two other boys watched with wariness at what action either would take; the fish or the bat. However, Nana simply huffed as she grabbed Ai's hand, speaking to the younger girl, "Ignore him, Ai. He's just mad that he has to spend money. You're adorable, even Cooro and Senri think so."

"U-Um…" Ai's eyes fell down, cheeks a bruising red color. "We…We should pay and leave…"

Surprised by the other girl's behavior, Nana's eyes never left her as she handed Husky Ai's previous clothing to be placed in the travel pack. As he begrudgingly stuffed the material in his bag, he marched to the front counter and handed the appropriate payment. In just seconds, the group was leaving the store.

"Should we stop by some place while we're here and get a bite to eat?" Cooro inquired, grinning hopefully as he placed a comforting hand over his stomach that roared with hunger.

Scowling at the money sack, Husky growled, "We can't."

"We don't have enough?" Nana questioned.

Husky shook his head, "We have enough, but if we do buy food, we won't have much for anything else. Food we can get even without money, so we can't just waste the most of what we have on it. If we need money down the road, what will we do? Just so we can satisfy our stomachs now?"

"Husky! I think after everything that's happened lately, we all deserve a treat!"

"Husky is right," Ai threw in her own words without hesitation. "If we're low on money, we have to make due with what we have. We can't spend it all willy-nilly. I mean…" she bowed her head, "I'm really, very sorry that you had to waste your money on me. We could be eating right now-"

"Ai, don't even say that," Cooro insisted. "What you have on right now is better for you than what you were wearing before. It's not a waste."

"Besides," Husky added, arms crossed with a light devilish smirk, "once you're free, you'll be able to work and pay off your debt."

"Husky!" Nana snapped once more, but Ai raised her head, looking at the merchild and lifted her hand upon the bat-girl's shoulder.

"I'd be happy to," she replied. "Thank you."

Husky's silver brows rose, and a look of bewilderment crossed his features for but a moment before he shook his head, and began to head out of town. "All right, then, we keep going forward for another couple of hours, then we will eat!"

Two grumbles from unfed mouths resounded, but the group continued on. Ai hurried up to the front, looking around to take in her surroundings once more before leading the group back on their appropriate path. Cooro and Nana discussed the possibilities of food while Senri eagerly examined the greenery they passed with keen interest, and Husky…kept an eye on the silent fox child who seemed unusually humble.

Conversations on food quickly drove Husky down a lane of irritation, and he exclaimed, not sparing his lungs a single note, to his friends that such talk had to cease. Nana was quick to turn the topic over towards Ai, inquiring as to how the girl was holding up in her new attire. Abashedly, the kit was quick to report that she was having a bit of difficulty maneuvering herself in a skirt, and not feeling the ground beneath her feet with the boots in her way had tripped her up a few times, and the path had started to feel a tad unfamiliar with the loss of the physical memory within the souls of her feet.

"Would you like to take them off?" Cooro asked.

Almost frantically, Ai spun around, slipping slightly but quickly catching her balance, "I won't waste your money!"

"It won't be a waste. For now, if it'll help you remember better, or give you more confidence in the direction that we're going, it'd probably be better for you not to wear them. After we're done with those traders, you can do whatever you please with the boots. They're yours, Ai."

Those words made the young girl's body go rigid. Her heart began to race and cheeks flushed brightly. Never had she heard those words, never was anything hers. All she had in this world was her mother, but she never "owned" her mother. Something she could call her own…the boots were more than what she ever thought she could ask for.

Quietly, Ai turned back to face the path once again. She said nothing, but Cooro and Nana looked to each other, devious grins on their faces as they held back any giggles that threatened to surface.

"Ai," Husky snapped, but the kit made no response or gesture. "Ai!"

"What?!" she looked over her shoulder at the boy, eyes narrowed in a pathetic glare with her face a pretty raspberry color.

Suddenly, the merchild felt speechless once more for that afternoon, and the realization that came with it agitated him. He quickly cooled his head, scowling back at the younger child, "Are you going to take off the boots or what?"

There was a twitch beneath the skirt, her tail frizzling as the kit spun around completely, crossing her arms, "Are _you_ going to hold onto them for me?"

A thin brow twitched, "_Excuse me?_"

"Are _you_ going to hold onto them? I mean, since you seemed oh so concerned."

The merchild gritted his back teeth. He was remembering why this girl got under his skin, "_Ungrateful!_ I just don't want you to get us lost if you're going to get spooked out by a pair of boots on your feet!"

"S-Spooked?!" Again, Ai bristled, and in a flash, her feet were bare and the new pair were thrown straight towards Husky, he ducked with the boots nearly missing the top of his head as he could feel the wind prickle his scalp. "Don't take me so lightly!" She gave her foot a stomp of finality before turning on her heel and continuing forth.

Husky growled, turning back to grab the boots and as he returned to face forwards with the group, Cooro grabbed a tight hold onto him, his arms, as Senri took the boots from his hands. "LEMME GO!" he roared as Nana scurried behind Ai, peeking over her shoulder at the silver-haired boy uneasily, whispering something to the fox.

As Husky struggled, his glare was focused on the two females. Observing how they spoke in hushed tones between each other. Nana held a perpetual expression of worry, but when Ai's brows creased and a look of guilt briefly crossed her features, Husky was almost uncertain, thinking that he just imagined it until he saw her peek at him once more. He froze, and Cooro and Senri followed, unsure as to what the other's next move would be. However, not even Husky knew what to do next.

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"I'm sorry."

Husky peered up from his attempt at starting a fire to see that Ai had mumbled out what he thought was an apology. His eyes fell to her bare and dirty feet before back to the unlit wood.

"I said, 'I'm sorry'!"

"I heard you," Husky sighed, not deviating from his task.

Ai pursed her lips momentarily before huffing, "Well?"

The merchild shrugged, "What are you sorry for?"

"Like you don't know…"

Husky snorted, "Not if you don't tell me."

Biting the inside of her cheeks, Ai held back a scoff. "I'm sorry," she reiterated. "For throwing the boots at you and…shouting at you."

"You mean giving me an attitude?"

"You gave me one first!" the kit quickly snapped in defense. "If you hadn't asked with such a disinterested face, looking down on me, I wouldn't have attacked you!"

The boy's ears twitched and dropped the sticks in his hands, rising to his feet, he glowered, "You just don't know how to be civil!"

"Y-You-!" Ai's hand became a fist but she stopped herself, the tension in her body visible. "Well, forgive me for not having lived in a 'civil' environment!"

In an instant, Husky felt a sense of dread in the pit of his stomach. He meant the words he said, he wouldn't take them back, but in the flash of anger he was feeling, it didn't hit him on how those words would affect the younger child. The tears that were beginning to form in her eyes said it all. How was he supposed to believe that anyone raised in slavery could ever be civil? Or, at least not feel as though they need to defend themselves as if everything was an attack. The girl _was_ civil. She was civil to everyone, but Husky. He was the harshest out of all of them, and so she was feeling as though his harshness was like that of which would come from those bastards that dictated her life. Only she could defend herself against him with no repercussions to fear.

"A-Ai…" why did he stutter her name if he wasn't in the wrong?

Sniffling once, the kit held back the waterworks, crossing her arms as she held her chin up, "What?"

To his ears, Husky could tell that despite trying to be confident, the word came out soft and shy. "I'm…also…sorry for being rude earlier…" That wasn't what he wanted to say, but at the same time, he didn't know what it was that he _did_ want to say, or _should_ say, other than this.

A moment of silence passed, and Husky was beginning to wonder if he should go back to his chore when Ai finally spoke up, "We're both sorry, then. Now, let's move on…"

Hands on his hips, Husky snorted, "Yeah, I guess…"

Ai shuffled her feet, seeming unsure of what her next step should be. "Would you…like some help…?"

There was a chuckle, followed by a shrug, "Yeah, I guess."

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**To Be Continued...!**

**Thank you for reading! Please review!**

**~LovingNinja~**

**I look forward to another year with you guys!**


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